Malaysian tourists fleeced by Thai police end up getting their money back, only to return it to officers

Two Malaysian tourists in the southern border town of Sadao who were suspected of being fleeced by police for having a “vaping” cigarette ended up getting their money back!

Then the tourists promptly returned it to other officers for their help in ensuring that justice prevailed!

The bizarre story unfolded when the two tourists were driving in downtown Sadao and were stopped by two officers at a checkpoint and searched. Officers found an electronic cigarette used for vaping.

The officers initially ordered them to pay 20,000 baht in fines but when the two men said they only had around 5,000 they settled for that. Later the two tourists filed a complaint with Sadao police and the officers involved have been suspended while an investigation takes place.

In a surprising twist senior officers feeling sorry for the tourists – Teo Zhen Yew and Teo Choo Hwee – returned the money. But the incident was not over. As a mark of thanks for their swift action in following up on the case and being fair the tourists donated the money back to the police.

Asked whether they would be arrested again for using electronic cigarettes in the kingdom, the police said “may pen rai” or never mind.